Cleaning tool

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure generally relates to a cleaning tool, a tool system, and specific tool head designs. The disclosure is useful for cleaning fryers in restaurants.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/315,312 filed on Mar. 18, 2010, which is incorporated by referenceherein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Fryers in restaurants are difficult to clean. They have an irregularshape, several heating coils and many corners and crevices. Duringoperation, fryers become soiled with fryer oil and food soils. Overtime, these soils bake on to the fryer and become even more difficult toclean. Besides being difficult to clean, fryers can be unsafe to clean.Often the surfaces are hot when they are being cleaned. And ifaggressive chemistry must be used to clean, the chemistry can createfumes or be a safety hazard. It is against this background that thepresent disclosure is made.

SUMMARY

Surprisingly, it has been found that the tool heads of the presentdisclosure are especially suited for cleaning the unique surfaces andshapes of fryers.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a tool having awand with a shaft, a first end and a second end. The wand has a griplocated on the second end and a tool head located on the first end. Thetool head has a handle, a first portion located next to the handle withbristles located on both sides of the first portion and a generallytriangular-shaped second portion located next to and at an angle fromthe first portion with bristles on both sides of the second portion.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a tool systemhaving a wand with a shaft, a first end with two depressible pins forengaging with a tool head and a second end with a grip. The system alsoincludes a tool head that can be selected from one of several toolheads. In some embodiments, the system can also include a tool head kitthat includes the wand and several interchangeable tool heads.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a tool headhaving a handle with two apertures for removably engaging with thedepressible pins on the first end of a wand shaft, a first portionlocated next to the handle, the first portion having a first side and asecond side and a plurality of bristles on each of the first and secondsides, and a generally triangular-shaped second portion located next toand at an angle from the first portion and having a first side and asecond side and a plurality of bristles on each of the first and secondsides. In some embodiments, the first portion and the second portion areat a 120° angle to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the fryer tool including the removable,angled, triangle-shaped head, the locking mechanism, the mid-grip on thewand, the handle, and the ball grip on the end of the wand.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the fryer tool in FIG. 1, except with aT-shaped grip on the end of the wand.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the fryer tool and specifically onepossible locking mechanism for the removable head.

FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the fryer tool and specifically theinteraction between the bristles on the tool head and a fryer surface.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the fryer tool and specifically theinteraction between the triangle-shaped tool head and the corner of afryer.

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the fryer tool being placed inside aschematic of a fryer.

FIG. 7 shows the various angles that the fryer tool can be used at toclean the various surfaces of the fryer.

FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of an L-shaped bent wire tool head.

FIG. 9 shows an embodiment of an L-shaped bent wire tool head.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a tool head with a removable pad.

FIG. 11 shows an embodiment of the tool head of FIG. 10 with theremovable pad on the tool head.

FIG. 12 shows a side view of an embodiment of the tool head of FIG. 10without the removable pad.

In accordance with common practice, the various described features arenot drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevantto the present disclosure. Reference characters denote like featuresthroughout the Figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to a fryer tool, a tool system, andspecific tool head designs. The disclosed tool has several advantages.First, it provides an equipment solution to aid in cleaning fryers thatincreases cleaning effectiveness and shortens cleaning time. Second, itdecreases the need for a user to touch the hot fryer surface or getclose to aggressive cleaning products. Third, it decreases the amount offorce needed from the user. Fourth, it can be used in differentorientations to clean many different types of surfaces. Fifth, itsdurable design can be used on hot surfaces. And finally, it iscompatible with fryer-cleaning chemistries. The tool and methods ofusing the tool are disclosed herein.

Referring to FIG. 1, the fryer tool is generally shown at 10. The fryertool 10 includes a wand 12. The wand 12 has a shaft portion 14, a firstend 16, and a second end 18. The shaft portion 14 can be bent orstraight. The wand should be long enough to keep the user at a safedistance from the fryer. Exemplary wand lengths include 12 inches to 30inches long, and 18 inches to 25 inches long, although it is understoodthat longer or shorter lengths could be used. For example, it may bebeneficial to have a wand length that is the length of a mop. The shaft14 can optionally include a mid-grip 44. If the wand includes amid-grip, then the user would hold the fryer tool with one hand on theend-grip 20 and the other hand on the mid-grip 44. The mid-grip 44 canbe a thicker portion of the wand shaft 14. It can also include a raisedring 46 that serves as a hand stop when a user is putting pressure onthe wand during cleaning. The mid-grip 44 can also include an anti-slipstrip such as a rubber strip (not shown). The second end 18 of the wand12 includes an end grip 20. The end-grip 20 allows a user to grip theend of the wand and get leverage for cleaning the fryer. Exemplaryend-grip shapes include ball (i.e., like a golf ball), cone, andT-shaped. The ball end-grip is shown in FIG. 1. The T-shaped end-grip 48is shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 1, the first end 16 of the wand 12 includes a tool head 22. Thetool head 22 includes a handle 24, a first portion 26, and a secondportion 34. In some embodiments, it may be beneficial to use the toolhead 22 without the wand 12. Accordingly, in embodiments, where the toolhead 22 is removable from the wand 12, the handle 24 is designed to begrasped by a user and used as a short handle. This is useful because auser can maneuver in hard to reach areas where the long handle cannotreach. Also, a user can apply more direct pressure using the shorthandle which is beneficial when trying to scrub certain areas. In someembodiments, the handle is from about 1 to about 7 inches long, and fromabout 3 to about 6 inches long. The first portion 26 has a first side 28and a second side 30. The first side 28 and the second side 30 are bothcovered with a plurality of bristles 32. In some embodiments, only oneside may be covered with a plurality of bristles. Further, whilebristles are shown, it is understood that alternatives to bristles, suchas twisted wire, could be used instead. The second portion 34 also has afirst side 36 and a second side 38. The first side 36 and second side 38are also both covered with a plurality of bristles 32. In someembodiments, only one side may be covered with a plurality of bristles.The second portion 34 is preferably shaped at the end to allow forcorner cleaning. Accordingly, the second portion 34 is preferablytriangle-shaped, or another angled embodiment that facilitates cornercleaning. In some embodiments, the triangle can include an angle from20° to 90°. Other embodiments include a square-shaped, round-shaped, orirregular-shaped end. In addition to having a special shape, the secondportion 34 may also be set at an angle relative to the first portion 26.This is shown in FIG. 1 where the second portion 34 meets the firstportion 26. The angle can be from about 90° to about 135°, andpreferably about 120°. The first portion 26 allows for cleaning theundersides of difficult to reach areas.

The tool head 22 can also have bristles coming out the sides of the toolhead. The bristles 32 on the first sides 28 and 36 facilitate cleaningthe underside of fryer components. The bristles 32 on the second sides30 and 38 facilitate cleaning the fryer heating coils. The bristles 32are preferably long enough to get in between the heating coils.

The tool head 22 can be static on the wand 12 or can pivot on the wand.A pivot head can be rotated a number of ways to fit various surfaces andmatch the angles of the surfaces that need to be cleaned. On the otherhand, a static head is easy to control and does not provide a joint forsoil to build up on. Both are useful depending on the specificapplication.

In an embodiment, the tool head 22 is a permanent part of the wand 12.In such a permanent design, the entire tool (head and wand) 10 could bedisposable or single use where the entire tool is discarded after onecleaning. Alternatively, the tool could be designed to withstand severalcleanings before the entire tool is replaced. In another embodiment, thetool head is removable from the wand and can be cleaned or replacedafter cleaning. If the tool head is removable, the wand 12 and the toolhead 22 preferably include a locking mechanism, such as the one shown inFIG. 3. FIG. 3 shows the wand 12 having displaceable or depressible pins40 and the tool head 22 having a pair of holes or apertures 42 forreceiving the pins 40. The pins 40 can be seen in the apertures 42throughout the Figures including FIG. 1. Alternative locking mechanismscould be used such as a quarter-turn design, a threaded design, atapered end with a cross pin, or a locking collar.

FIG. 4 shows the interaction between the bristles 32 on the fryer tool10 interacting with the grate 52 of the fryer 50. FIG. 5 shows theinteraction between the triangle-shaped second portion 34 of the toolhead 22 and the corner of the fryer 50. FIG. 6 shows the interactionbetween the fryer tool 10, the fryer 50, and the fryer grate 52.Finally, FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C show a user 54 using the fryer tool 10 toclean the fryer 50 using different angles. The user 54 is able to graspthe tool 10 at the end-grip 20 and the mid-grip 44. This allows the user54 to manipulate the tool head 22 in various ways to clean the varioussurfaces, corners, crevices, and irregular surfaces of the fryer.

FIG. 8, FIG. 9, and FIG. 10 show alternative tool heads. These tools areespecially useful for cleaning aspects of a fryer such as the grate 54or the heating coils. One exemplary tool head is shown in FIG. 8. It hasa handle 24 and an L-shaped bent wire 56 with bristles 32 coming outfrom the wire 56. The handle 24 is designed to be removable engaged withthe wand 12 and has apertures 42 for engaging with pins 40 on the wand12. FIG. 9 shows another bent wire tool head. It has a handle 24 and anL-shaped bent wire 56 with bristles 32 coming out from the wire 56. Thehandle 24 is designed to be removable engaged with the wand 12 and hasapertures 42 for engaging with pins 40 on the wand 12. FIGS. 10, 11, and12 show a tool head with a removable pad 62. The tool head includes ahandle 24 and a paddle 58. The paddle 58 is configured to be insertedinto the removable pad 62 and the paddle can be substantially straight,or can be offset or have a curve to it. The paddle 58 includes aplurality of spikes 60 that can be located on one or both sides of thepaddle 58. The spikes 60 can be of a variety of shapes and do notnecessarily need to be sharp. Rather, the spikes 60 are designed in sucha way that when pressure is placed on the handle 24 the spikes 60 pushdown onto the pad 62 and help hold it in place on the paddle 58 andprovide additional force when cleaning the fryer. The removable pad 62is open on at least one end that allows it to be placed on the paddle58. The pad 62 can be made of a variety of materials that help cleansurfaces including steel wool and materials such as those sold under theBRILLO® brand or the 3M SCOTCH-BRITE™ brand. The removable pad 62 can beimpregnated with cleaning compositions.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a tool head 22 witha common handle 24 design that allows multiple tool heads to beinterchangeable with the wand. The handle 24 can include apertures 42for engaging with pins 40 on the wand 12. The handle 24 can also includea thicker grip portion like the grip 44 on the wand. And the handle 24can also include a raised ring 46 to serve as a hand stop.

The fryer tool is preferably made using materials that are compatiblewith high temperatures typically found on fryers. In some cases theoperating temperature of the fryer can reach 232° C. (450° F.) or more.The fryer tool can be used on the fryer at any fryer temperatureincluding hot and room temperature.

The fryer tool can be used with cleaning chemistries needed to clean thefryer. The tool can be used with cold soak and boil-out type ofcleanings. The tool can be used with gas and electric fryers. The fryercan be located in a full service or quick service restaurant. The toolcan also be adapted for use by consumers. And the tool can be adaptedfor other uses such as for cleaning kitchen surfaces such as the venthoods, surrounds, ovens, roasters, cooking appliances, and other heatedareas, cleaning in housekeeping applications such as dusting and wipingdown furniture, scrubbing walls, and scrubbing floors, cleaning surfacesin healthcare locations like tile, toilets, showers and tub surrounds inpatient rooms, cleaning surgical areas and equipment, and cleaningsurfaces in doctors' offices, bathroom cleaning such as cleaningtoilets, shower and tub surrounds, sinks, tile, walls and floors, andcleaning in food and beverage plants such as cleaning HVAC systems,floor drains, and cooling coils on refrigeration units. Each of theseapplications would benefit from the common handle design andinterchangeable tool head designs of the present disclosure.

The above specification and figures provide a complete description ofthe disclosure. Since many embodiments can be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the disclosure, the invention resides inthe claim hereinafter appended.

1. A cleaning tool comprising: (A) a wand comprising a shaft, a firstend, and a second end; (B) a grip located on the second end of the wand;and (C) a tool head located on the first end of the wand, the tool headcomprising (i) a handle; (ii) a first portion located next to thehandle, the first portion having a first side and a second side and aplurality of bristles on each of the first and second sides; and (iii) agenerally triangular-shaped second portion located next to and at anangle from the first portion and having a first side and a second sideand a plurality of bristles on each of the first and second sides. 2.The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool head is removably connected to thefirst end of the wand.
 3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool head andwand are permanently connected to each other.
 4. The tool of claim 2,wherein the first end of the wand further comprises two pins and thehandle portion of the tool further comprises two apertures configured toengage the pins.
 5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the wand shaft furthercomprises a grip portion.
 6. The tool of claim 5, wherein the gripportion is thicker than the rest of the shaft.
 7. The tool of claim 5,wherein the grip portion further comprises an anti-slip strip.
 8. Thetool of claim 5, wherein the grip portion further comprises a raisedring.
 9. The tool of claim 1, wherein the first portion and the secondportion are at a 120° angle to each other.
 10. The tool of claim 1,wherein the grip on the second end of the wand is generally ball shaped.11. The tool of claim 1, wherein the wand is from about 12 inches toabout 25 inches long.
 12. A tool system comprising: (A) a wandcomprising a shaft, a first end comprising two depressible pins forengaging with a tool head; and a second end comprising a grip; and (B) atool head selected from the group consisting of: (i) a first tool headconfigured to engage with the first end of the wand, the first tool headcomprising: (a) a handle comprising two apertures for removably engagingwith the depressible pins on the first end of the wand shaft; (b) afirst portion located next to the handle, the first portion comprising afirst side and a second side and a plurality of bristles on each of thefirst and second sides; and (c) a generally triangular-shaped secondportion located next to and at an angle from the first portion andcomprising a first side and a second side and a plurality of bristles oneach of the first and second sides; (ii) a second tool head configuredto engage with the first end of the wand, the second tool headcomprising: (a) a handle comprising two apertures for removably engagingwith the depressible pins on the first end of the wand shaft; and (b) agenerally L-shaped wire located next to the handle, the wire comprisinga plurality of bristles; and (iii) a third tool head configured toengage with the first end of the wand, the third tool head comprising:(a) a handle comprising two apertures for removable engaging with thedepressible pins on the first end of the wand shaft; (b) a paddlelocated next to the handle; (c) a plurality of spikes located on atleast one side of the paddle; and (d) a removable pad configured toslide over the paddle.
 13. The tool system of claim 12, wherein the wandshaft further comprises a grip portion.
 14. The tool system of claim 13,wherein the grip portion is thicker than the rest of the shaft.
 15. Thetool system of claim 13, wherein the grip portion further comprises ananti-slip strip.
 16. The tool system of claim 13, wherein the gripportion further comprises a raised ring.
 17. The tool system of claim12, wherein the grip on the second end of the wand is generally ballshaped.
 18. The tool system of claim 12, wherein the wand is from about12 inches to about 25 inches long.
 19. A tool head comprising: (A) ahandle; (B) a first portion located next to the handle, the firstportion comprising a first side and a second side and a plurality ofbristles on each of the first and second sides; and (C) a generallytriangular-shaped second portion located next to and at an angle fromthe first portion and comprising a first side and a second side and aplurality of bristles on each of the first and second sides; and
 20. Thetool head of claim 19, wherein the first portion and the second portionare at a 120° angle to each other.